Constant-current regulator.



E. R. GLIFF.

consnmr CURRENT REGULATOR.

APPLIOATIOH FILED AUG.21, 1908.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEBTL 3440mm Ida/aid 1- (2? E. R. CLIFF. GONSTANT CURRENTREGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1908.

988,312. Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2. 1f

vwwwto z Edward)? (799? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD R. CLIFF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONSTANT-CURRENT REGULATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD R. CLIFF, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Port Richmond, in the borough and county of Richmond andcity and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Constant-Current Regulators, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of electrio regulators which isemployed in alternating current circuits to maintain a constant anduniform current, whether the en tire number of the electrically operatedunits is in operation, or a greater or less number of-them withdrawntherefrom; the object of the invention being to provide a regulator ofthis class, which, while simple in construction and not liable to getout of order, shall at the same time be more eflicient and reliable inoperation than those heretofore in use.

To these ends, the invention consists, first, in the construction of themagnetic circuit; second, in the peculiarities of construction of theserially connected stationary and movable coils, and in theirarrangement in con nection with the magnetic circuit, and third, invarious other constructions and combinations of parts, all as willhereinafter more fully appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, Figure 1 represents a vertical transverse section on lineac-00 of Fig. 3 of a current regulator embodying one form of thisinvention, the coils being in elevation with parts broken outfor thepurpose of illustration. Fig. 2

represents a similar vertical transverse sec tion of the currentregulator embodying this invention in another form, the coils beingsubmerged in oils or other suitable liquid and the movable coil beingprovided with a buoyant chamber of varying capacity, parts being brokenout for better illustration. Fig. 3, a plan View of the regulator, withthe cover of its containing case removed; Fig. 4, an isometric view of aportion of the core detached; Fig. 5, a diagrammatic view, showing thearrangement of the regulator in connection with the parts with which itis designed to cooperate, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 21, 1908.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Serial No. 449,749.

Fig. 6, a sectional detail of the inclosing case taken in the plane y yof Fig. 3.

In all the figures, like letters of reference are employed to designatecorresponding parts.

A indicates a magnetic circuit core, which is or may be constructed invarious forms. It is preferred however to construct it in the form shownin the drawings, with an elongated central member a, having arms aextending outwardly in opposite directions from its lower end andprovided at their outer extremities with upwardly extending portions awhich are disposed in approximately parallel relationship to each otherand to the central member a, and constitute elongated side members ofthe core. In the construction of this magnetic circuit core softcastiron or wrought-iron may be employed. It is preferred however toconstruct it of wrought-iron and to build it up from open rectangular Ushape plates a of that material. When this form of construction isadopted the plates of are conveniently arranged in groups a a a, a etc.,of the required number of plates in each group, and the groups thusformed disposed in two end to end series, in which groups a a, etc., areincluded in one series, and a 64 etc, in the other, with the inner endsof the groups of one series overlapping and alternating with the innerends of the groups of the other series. As thus arranged the overlappingportions of the oppositely placed groups form the central elongatedmember a of the core, which is made up from a solid mass of parallellydisposed plates a without any spaces therein, while the portions of thegroups extending outwardly in opposite directions therefrom constituteits outwardly extending arms a and the upwardly extending portions (4 attheir extremities constitute the elongated side members of the core.These outwardly extending arms, with the upwardly extending portions attheir extremities however, instead of being made solid and continuousthroughout, are, in consequence of the alternate arrangement of theoppositely disposed series of groups of plates a formed with a space abetween each two groups of plates, whereby each of these outwardlyextending arms with its upwardly extending portion is made up of analternate series of groups of plates and spaces, as shown. lVith themagnetic circuit core thus built up its constituent plates (1 are firmlybound together and held from displacement by strips a and (1 which arepreferably constructed of wood, and are respectively applied to theopposite edges of the central core portion a, and to the opposite edgesof the upwardly extending portions a", against which they are firmlyclamped by bolts (1 and a, which, passed through suitable aperturesformed in the upper and lower ends of the respective strips, andextending across from one fellow strip to the other, above and below themetal portion of the core, are provided on their ends with suitable nuts(1. In being thus clamped to gether, the constituent plates, as will beseen, are firmly bound together in composite whole; and in order toprevent the portions of the 'roups of plates at, a", a, a etc. that formthe outwardly and upwardly ext-end ing portions and a of the core fromyielding under the strain of the bolts a, as the strips (1 are clampedagainst their edge. by such bolts, the spaces a in these portions arepreferably filled with some unyielding non-magnetic material. It ispreferred to employ wood for this purpose, which is constructed in theform of strips a. of the proper dimensions to closely fit between themthroughout their lengths. and to project both above and below, as wellas inwardly and outwardly slightly beyond, the upwardly extendingportions (4 whereby to notonly engage with the bolts (1 that extendacross the upper and lower ends of those portions, from one strip a tothe fellow strip cooperating with it, but also to prevent either thecoils from coming in contact with the core, or the core from contactingwith the interior of the inclosing case. In most instances the clampingstrips (1 and (4 with their cooperating bolts and nuts will be foundsutiicient to hold the constituent parts of the core together andprevent their displacement. It is preferred however to supplement thesemeans with pins a, which, constructed of wood or other non-magneticmaterial, are passed through suitable orilices formed in the strips (1.and u. and through the plates a t the points (itas shown. In thusbuilding up a core from oppositely arranged and alternately disposed Ushape plates of the character explain-ed, the number of groups of theseplates the. may be availed of may be varied within reasonable limits,and in Fig. 3 I have shown one construction thereof. This constructionhowever is merely illustrative, and a greater or less number of groupsin each series may be adopted as the exigencies of the work to beperformed or the judgment of the constructor may dictate.

\Vith the core constructed as above explained, it is preferably arrangedwithin an inclosing case B, which may be constructed in various formsand from a variety of materials. It is preferred however to construct itof metal, and in the shape of a closed bottom receptacle of the formshown in the drawings, with a cap or cover I) fitted thereto andprovidedwith a downwardly extending flange 6 which is adapted to extenddown around and embrace the upper end of the receptacle, whereby toclosely cover it and exclude the entrance of moisture and otherobjectionable substances from its interior. As thus constructed thecover 6 may be held in place upon the receptacle by any appropriatemeans, and the case, as a whole,

*ith its inclosed part-s, suspended from any appropriate supportby anysuitable appliances. In the form of the invention which I have selectedfor purposes of illustration however, the cover is held in place by theaction of gravity, it being constructed of a weight sutliciently greatfor that purpose; while the suspension of the case is effected by meansof straps 6*, which are secured to its rear by bolts or screws 5 and mayhave their upper ends overturned in the form of hooks 5 that are adaptedto engage with the cross-bars of an electric light pole, or otherwise.

Vith the core A arranged within the inclosing case B, it receives astationary coil C and a movable coil D. These coils, which are connectedin series by a conductor 0 are arranged around the central core portiona, with the stationary coil G resting upon the outwardly extending armsa to which it may be fixedly secured by cords or otherwise, and with themovable coil D disposed above the stationary coil in such a manner as tobe capable of movement up and down along the core portion a. As thusarranged, the movable coil D is preferably constructed of a wire thatpossesses a greater power of resistance to the passage of the currentthan does the wire of which the stationary coil is formed. hen bothcoils are made up from wire of the same material, as, for in stance,from copper, this difference in the resistance will be produced byconstructing the movable coil from a liner wire than is employed in theconstruction of the stationary coil. It is preferred however toconstruct the stationary coil from wire of one material, as, forinstance, of copper, and the movable coil from wire of a differentmaterial, as, for instance, of aluminum, as thereby not only is theincreased resistance to the passage of the current through the movablecoil attained, but the weight of such movable coil very much reduced.The coil constructed of aluminum wire is extremely sensitive to theaction of the currents and quickly adjusts itself under the influencethereof. With the coils constructed and connected as thus explained, andapplied in connection with a core, whenever an electric current ispassed through them the movable coil will be either attracted and drawntoward the stationary coil, or repelled and forced away from the same,as the winding of the coils is such that the current in passing throughthem travels in the same or in the opposite direction.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the coils so wound that the current in passingthrough them travels in the opposite direction, and in that case amutual repulsive action between the two coils is effected when they areenergized, the amount of this repulsive action depending upon thestrength of the current and varying with it. In Fig. 2, on the otherhand, I have shown these coils as so wound that the current in passingthrough them will travel in the same direction, and in this case amutual attractive action between the coils will be produced when theyare energized, the amount of which attractive force, as was the casewith the repulsive force in the construction shown in Fig. 1, dependingupon the strength of the current and similarly varying with it. As thusoperating, whenever the construction shown in Fig. 1 is employed, theweight of the movable coil D will be so graduated to the strength of thecurrent in connection with which it is to be used, that, when the entirenumber of electrically operated units are in operation, the repulsiveaction between it and the stationary coil will be such that it will onlybe raised slightly from such stationary coil, and in that position itwill be held stationary by such repulsive action so long as the entirenumber of these electrically operated units are in operation and thestrength of the current remains uniform and constant. When however oneor more of these units are withdrawn from operation and the strength ofthe current in the circuit thereby increased, as it will be under thosecircumstances, then the repulsive action between the two coils will beincreased in correspondence therewith, with the result that the movablecoil D will be moved up ward thereby along the central portion a, until,by its impedance, it tends to reduce the strength of the current to thatpossessed by it at the outset, when the further upward movement of thecoil will be arrested and the same held stationary in the position thusattained until one or more of the other units are withdrawn fromoperation, when it will again start on its upward travel and continuetherein until, by its impedance to the passage of the current, it againtends to reduce the strength of the same to that originally possessed byit, when it will be again arrested in its movement, and so on, eachwithdrawal of a unit, as it increases the strength of the current,causing an upward travel of the coil D, and thereby, through itsgoverning action, maintaining a uniform and a constant current. 011 theother hand, when the coil D has been forced upward from its original.position by the withdravml of a portion of the electrically operatedunits from operation, and one or more of the units thus withdrawn is orare returned into operation, when a reverse in these results willfollow, and the strength of the current will be reduced by their return,when the coils will have their repulsive actions reduced thereby and themovable coil D, under the action of gravity, will travel downward alongthe core portion a toward the stationary coil A, until it reaches apoint where it restores the current to its normal condition andstrength, when it will be arrested in its movement and there held untilthe current is further reduced, when it will again start downward in itsmovement, to be arrested when the strength of the current has been againrestored, and so on, repeating these downward movements and stoppages aseach succeeding unit is brought into operation. Similarly with theconstruction shown in Fig. 2, whenever that construction is employed.Instead however of the movable coil D in this construction being forcedupward away from the stationary coil 0, as one or more of the elec-vtrically operated units in the circuit is or are withdrawn fromoperation, it is moved downward toward it by the mutual attraction ofthe two coils. To permit of this movement therefore, it is necessary tosuspend the movable coil D at its upper limit of travel along the coreportion a, by means that will permit of its moving downward toward thestationary coil when the attractive force between these two coils issutliciently great to cause such movement, and to so graduate thesuspending forces, that, when the entire number of electrically operatedunits are in operation, the coil D will be held stationarily at thehighest point of its travel. As thus suspended whenever one or more ofthe electrically operated units is or are withdrawn from action and thestrength of the current thereby increased, the attractive powerpossessed by the coils will be similarly increased, and the movable coilD thereby moved downward toward the stationary coil until the originalstrength of the current, by the impedance offered by the coil, isrestored, when the further downward movement of the coil will bearrested and the coil. there retained until one or more of the remainingunits are withdrawn from action, when it will be again moved down warduntil, by its impedance, the strength of the current is a second timerestored, when it will be again arrested, and so on, each withdrawal ofa unit causing a further downward movement of the movable coil and aconsequent restoration of the strength of the current. The coil D havingbeen thus moved downward along the core portion (4, whenever one or moreof the electrically operated units are returned into operation, thereverse of the results thus specified will follow and the movable coilD, in consequence of the reduction in the attractive forces between thetwo coils, due to a reduction in the strength of the current, will riseunder the action of its suspending means until, through the impedanceoffered by it, the current is restored to its original strength, whenthe coil will be a second time arrested in its movement, to be againmoved upward or downward as another unit is brought into or carried outof, operation, and so on, each withdrawal of a unit from, or itsrestoration to, operation, causing the movement of the coil D in theappropriate direction and thereby, through such coil, maintaining, as isthe case with the coil D in the construction shown in 1, a constant anduniform strength of current in the circuit, by auto matically cutting inor cutting out the necessary resistance to accomplish that result.

For yieldingly suspending the coil D, in the construction shown in Fig.2, whereby to permit of its up and down movements away from and towardthe stationary coil C as the requirements of the current may demand,various means may be employed. It is preferred however to employ forthis purpose a column of liquid E, in which the coil is submerged, and,to that end, a liquid of greater specific gravity than aluminum ispreferably supplied to the interior of the inclosing case B. As thussubmerged, the coil, by reason of its buoyant character, will have atendency to rise within the liquid, especially when the coil isconstructed of alu minum or other light material, and to therebynormally move away from the stationary coil C, unless restrained by theattraction superinduced in the coils by the electric current passingthrough them. In some instances the buoyant capability of the coil D maybe suflicientin itself in some liquids, such as a solution ofboro-tunstate of cadmium or solution of bromoform or a solution of nitrobromoforni to resist the attraction exerted between the two coils, whenthe current is not of too great a strength, and to raise it against thesame when the strength of the current is reduced. It is preferredhowever to supplement this coil with a buoyant chamber 6 the capacity ofwhich may be varied to suit the weight of the coil or the density of theliquid in which it floats, as thereby the buoyancy of the coil may beadapted to the strength of the current whatever that may be. These airchambers, while capable of various embodiments, are here shown asconstructed in the form of closed rectangular vessels, and, applied tothe upper surface of the coil, are provided in their tops with suitableorifices or nozzles 6 through which liquid or other weighting materialmay be supplied to their interior to graduate the buoyancy of the coilto the strength of the electric current to be employed, a suitable plugor stopper 0 being fitted to each, whereby to close it when access tothe interior of its chamber is not required. By these means as will beseen provision is made for the ready and accurate adjustment of thebuoyancy of the coil to any strength of current that may be employed.The liquid made use of for suspending or aiding in the suspension of thecoil B above the coil C may be of various kinds, it only beingessential, that, whatever its character, it be such as will beunaffected by the action of the cold. It is preferred however to employoil for the purpose, although glycerin, alcohol, and other similarliquids may be employed in lieu if so desired. With the stationary andmovable coils thus arranged they are respectively provided withconductors c and (1, whereby to be adapted for connection in circuitwith the source of electric supply and with the units to be operated. Topermit of this connection being effected the inclosing case B ispreferably constructed with two rearwardly extending projections I) andb, which are respectively provided in their bottoms with insulatingnipples b and b that are formed with orifices 6 extending through themand respectively connecting with the interior of the case through suitable passage-ways b and Z). As thus equipped the conductors 0 and (Zextend upward from their appropriate coils to their respectivepassage-ways o and I), thence along these passage-ways to the nipples band b and thence downward through these nipples to the exterior of thecase where they are ready for connection with any other conductors withwhich the governor may be employed. Instead of the conductors c and (Zextending directly from their respective coils C and D to theirappropriate passageways 5 and Z2 however, it is preferred to conductthem from the coils to the passageways through suitable keepers N, whichare secured to the outer sides of the cooperating members of one of thepairs of clamping strips a, with the conductor (Z, and the conductor cwhich extends between and connects the coils C and D, constructed ofsuflicient lengths to permit of the requisite up and down movements ofthe coil D, without in any way interfering with them. As thus arrangedthe conductors 0, cl, and 0 may be insulated if so desired, and themeans for accomplishing this result may be of various kinds. It ispreferred however to insulate them, and to employ for the purposeinsulating beads d which may be strung upon them, as shown. In someinstances the coils G, D, may be used without covering, except as may berequired to bind their constituent parts together. It is preferredhowever, to wrap them with cords or tapes, and to thoroughly coat thiscovering with varnish or shellac, but this is not essential, and thecoils may be left without such covering or coating and operate withefficiency.

Although capable of use in circuit with series of electric motors andother electrically operated devices, the governor herein shown anddescribed is especially applicable for use in circuits with electriclights, and wherever the words electrically operated units are employedherein, it is with the understanding. that they not only include suchmotors and other devices, but electric lights as well.

lVith the parts constructed and organized as above explained, a governoris produced, which, while extremely simple in construction, is, at thesame time, sensitive in operation and capable of maintaining with greataccuracy uniformity in the strength of a current that is liable tofluctuations, or otherwise.

lVhen employed in practice, the governor will preferably be applied incircuit with the source of electric supply and with the units to beoperated, whereby the current operating such units will pass through it,and in Fig. 5 I have shown one form of its application, in which Findicates an alternating current electric generator, H a series ofelectric lights, A the core, 0 the station ary coil, D the movable coil,0 the conductor by which the stationary and movable coils are connectedin series, and I, c and (Z the conductors by which the parts areconnected in circuit. This particular arrangement however, is simplyillustrative, and is merely designed to show one of the differentarrangements in which the governor may be employed.

\Vhile in the foregoing the best means contemplated for carrying theinvention into practice has been described, it is to be understoodhowever that the invention is not limited thereto, as it is obvious thatmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Having now described the invention and specified certain ways in whichit is or may be carried into effect, the following features are claimed,

1. The combination. of a core comprising a central solid member and twoside members disposed apart from the central member on opposite sidesthereof and connected therewith, said side members being composed oflegs spaced apart from one another, a stationary coil disposed on saidcentral member between said side members, and a movable coil disposed onsaid central member between said side members and adjacent to saidstationary coil.

2. The combination of a core comprising a central solid member and twoside members disposed apart from the central member on opposite sidesthereof and connected therewith, said side members being composed oflegs spaced apart from one another and the legs of one side memberalternating with the spaces of the other side member, a stationary coildisposed on said central member between said side members, and a movablecoil disposed on said central member between said side members andadjacent to said stationary coil.

3. A. core for a magnetic circuit, having a central core portion withoutwardly ex tending arms at its lower end and upwardly extendingportions at their extremities, com posed of oppositely disposed andalternately arranged groups of U shaped plates firmly bound together,substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a core for a magnetic circuit having a centralcore portion with outwardly extending arms and upwardly extendingportions at their extremities, composed of oppositely disposed andalternately arranged groups of U shaped plates, of clamping stripsapplied to the edges of both the central core portion and the upwardlyextending portions at the extremities of the arms, and bolts for firmlyclamping the parts together, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses this 17th day of August, 1908.

EDl VARD R. CLIFF.

lVitnesses EDWARD \Vmsnnn, Green T. DIPOW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

